It's time! pic.twitter.com/8TOSAx2aAw — President Biden (@POTUS) December 21, 2023 Secretary Pete fixed the flight cancellations ?? https://t.co/4e6nB5tkUH — The okayest poster there is (@ok_post_guy) December 21, 2023 Biden’s historic pay raise for federal workers set to take effect Since about 85 percent of the federal workforce is outside the Washington region, “ … this …
Another Saturday Morning Open Thread: HolidazePost + Comments (148)
Federal employees will receive pay raises averaging 5.2 percent — more in some high-salary areas — under an order President Biden signed Thursday that delivers the biggest increase to U.S. government workers since the Carter administration.
The salary hike for the federal civilian workforce of close to 2.2 million people is the heftiest since a 9.1 percent average raise in 1980. It’s 0.6 percentage points higher than last year’s increase, which itself was the highest in two decades, and will take effect in the first full pay period of 2024, starting Jan. 14 for most federal employees.
The military is set to receive a comparable increase in January in the $886 billion defense bill that Congress approved this month.
Biden’s executive order is the final step in the annual process of determining how much government workers will be paid the following year. That process has often featured a divisive debate in Congress over the value of federal workers and what they should earn compared to their private sector counterparts…
Congress has in some years adjusted the annual White House proposal on federal pay up or down. But this year, after Biden proposed the 5.2 percent raise in March in his budget for fiscal 2024, Republicans in Congress — engulfed for months in a partisan battle over raising the country’s debt limit and then in an internal struggle over the House speakership — have been silent on the raise this year. Absent any action by Congress, the recommended raise goes into effect by default. Most lawmakers have already left Washington for the holidays, signaling the end of the legislative year and allowing Biden to finalize the pay hike with Thursday’s executive order.
Since about 85 percent of the federal workforce is outside the Washington region, “ … this pay increase will benefit families and lift economies in every single state,” Doreen Greenwald, national president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said in a statement. “Higher salaries are essential to keeping these skilled workers in the civil service and helping agencies recruit new employees to their valuable public service missions.” The NTEU represents employees in 35 federal agencies and offices…
Sen. Ossoff’s office always goes the extra mile to solve problems — no matter how big or small.
Wishing everyone across Georgia a merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a happy new year! pic.twitter.com/B3CAopsAFg
— Ossoff's Office (@SenOssoff) December 21, 2023
Happy Holidays from the White House press team! We wish you a JOYFUL new year! pic.twitter.com/rLhFLr1GdG
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) December 21, 2023
Or, if you prefer the old ways…
Merry Christmas Eve Eve!
The Mari Lwyd is coming….#christmas pic.twitter.com/z03bzdF2Bv— Mark Rees (@reviewwales) December 23, 2023
(The Mari Lwyd)